Maravi

Probing Rupiah is a must - Fr Mwewa

Probing Rupiah is a must - Fr Mwewa
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Tue 11 Oct. 2011, 12:40 CAT

FR Augustine Mwewa says probing former President Rupiah Banda over allegations of corruption and abuse of public funds is a must and it must be done as stipulated by the law.

And Fr Mwewa says Zambians must be alert so that they do not allow ‘vultures' to surround or influence President Michael Sata's vision of fighting corruption and promoting good governance.

In an interview, Fr Mwewa who is former Catholic Diocese of Ndola treasurer general and currently studying at a Catholic university in Kenya said the issue of probing Banda should not be viewed as personal vendetta from President Sata but as a way of seeking justice over the abused public funds.

He said it would be wrong for some sections of society to confuse forgiveness and the fight against corruption.

"The probe we are talking about falls with the realm of eradicating corruption and promoting the rule of law. The fight against corruption is beyond personal differences and that should not be the basis for investigations. It is a matter of national interest because corruption has destroyed our country," Fr Mwewa said.

He said the issue of probing the former president and his government was not President Sata's issue but the people's resolve to stamp out a vice that had hindered national progress by bringing the culprits to book.

Fr Mwewa said the core activity for the new PF government was to implement their manifesto, enforce the law, and fight corruption in line with their campaign promise.

He said one of the major reasons why Zambians voted for change was that they wanted the new government to demonstrate political will towards the promotion of good governance by fighting corruption vigorously using the stipulated laws.

"We should not approach this important topic with personal issues.

It is imperative for me to mention that probing of the outgoing government is a must, however it should not be about the MMD alone but all those involved in the corrupt activities. That is to say, it should be done with a high degree of justice and objectivity. This is part of the change people voted for.

No wonder it is surprising to read that the new minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu is denying the depth of corruption in our judiciary. This is unacceptable and I ask myself is he the right person for this job? Corruption was so high in the MMD government that even a child could notice it," Fr Mwewa said.

And Fr Mwewa said disgruntled and corrupt politicians should not be allowed to surround President Michael Sata as they might influence the government adversely.

He said the Church, Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and the general populace must constantly provide checks and balances if the PF government was to perform to the expectations of the people.

"I applaud The Post for their alertness and consistency in providing the much needed checks and balances and they will continue doing it. It is my prayer that the probe of the immediate past MMD government will be done in the spirit of love, justice, rule of law, boldness, accountability and transparency if at all we are to get the change we desire," said Fr Mwewa.

Labels: AUGUSTINE MWEWA, CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:35 PM